• Why read?
• Contact
• About the Creator

Rumplestiltskin materials

Use this text to familiarize yourself with the story, then tell it orally to your students, embellishing and adding detail and dialogue as you please. Make sure you're using language that your students understand. Act it out as you go, and write down new words on the board. Repeat the new words often as you continue the story. The next day, you can give your students a copy of this story that is cut into 10 pieces and see if they can put back together in the right order.

The Story: Rumplestiltskin

Once upon a time, there was a poor farmer who had a beautiful daughter. Wanting to seem important, he boasted to the king one day that his daughter could spin straw into gold. When the king heard the word "gold," he immediately ordered the farmer to bring the girl to his palace.

When the girl arrived, the king took her to a small room filled with straw and said, "You must turn all this straw into gold by morning, or you will never see your father again!" With that, he closed the door and left her alone. The poor girl was terrified. She didn't know what to do, so she sat down by the spinning wheel and cried.

- - -

Suddenly, a small door opened and an odd little man entered the room. He had big ears, a long nose, an ugly face, and wrinkled, raggedy clothes. "Why are you crying?" asked the little man. When the girl explained what she had to do, the little man said, "What will you give me if I help you?" "You can have my necklace!" the girl promised. So the little man sat down at the spinning wheel and by midnight, he had spun all the straw to gold. Then he slipped out the door.

- - -

When the king opened the door and saw the room filled with shining gold, he was astonished. But instead of being satisfied, he became even more greedy and he took the girl to an even bigger room filled with straw. He demanded that she turn all the straw to gold again by morning.

- - -

The girl began to cry again because she had no ability of her own to do the job, and she didn't know if the little man would be back. Minutes later, however, the little door opened and the funny man appeared. "What will you give me if I help you again?" he asked. "You can have my ring!" promised the girl. So the little man spun all the straw to gold and slipped away in the early morning.

When the king entered the room at dawn, he was delighted to see so much gold. But he was still not satisfied. He took the girl to a huge room with stacks and stacks of straw. "If you can spin all this straw to gold, I will marry you!" he exclaimed.

- - -

The king left the girl alone in the room. The girl waited, hoping the little man would return. A tear slid down the girl's cheek. Suddenly, the little door opened and the funny man asked, "What will you give me if I help you this time?" The girl said sadly, "I have nothing left to give!" The little man said, "Promise me your first-born child, and I will help you." "Yes, yes, I promise!" said the girl.

- - -

So the little man got busy. There was so much straw that it took all night to spin it into gold. He finished just as the sun was coming up, and he slipped out the little door. A minute later, the king opened the door and saw mounds of shining gold. He was overjoyed. "Wonderful!" he cried. "Today you will become my wife." They were married in a huge celebration, and the girl's father was very proud that his daughter had become the queen.

- - -

A year later, the queen had a newborn son. She was so happy and she had forgotten all about the promise she had made to the little man, until one night when he appeared in her room.

"Give me your baby as you promised me," demanded the little man. The queen was desperate. "Please, let me keep my baby!" she begged. The little man smiled and said, "I'll give you three days to guess my name. If you can not, you must give me your child."

- - -

The next morning, the queen ordered a messenger to travel everywhere in the kingdom to collect names of everybody he found. That night, he brought back a long list of names. But when the little man returned that night, none of the names were correct.

The second day, the queen told the messenger to ride his horse into other kingdoms to collect as many names as he could. But again, none of the names were correct.

- - -

On the third day, the messenger rode out into the countryside again, asking each person his name. On his way home, he got lost in the woods. In the distance he saw a small cottage. Outside the cottage was a funny little man, dancing around a fire. The messenger sneaked closer to the cottage until he was able to hear what the little man was singing. As he danced, the little man sang, "This guessing game she'll never win; my name is Rumplestiltskin!" The messenger quickly rode back to the castle and told the queen his news.

- - -

When the little man came on the third night, the queen asked him, "Is your name Henry?" The little man smiled and said no. "Is your name Abdul Aziz?" asked the queen. Again the little man said no. Then the queen asked, "Is your name, perhaps, Rumplestiltskin?" When he heard this, the little man grew furious. He screamed, "A witch has told you! A witch has told you!" He was so angry he stamped his foot deep into the ground and he disappeared into the earth forever.

Practice: Rumplestiltskin

This activity can be used as a worksheet, a test, or a class review.

For Upper Levels:

Match the synonyms:

- - - -

For All Levels:

Match the synonyms:

- - - -

Complete the sentences using these words:
[ shocked - terrified - overjoyed – childless – furious – brags - sleepless –pregnant - worried - mean ]

1. The parents were _____________ when they saw their son's bad marks.

2. Everyone was _____________ when the baby started to walk at only 7 months.

3. I spent many ____________ nights preparing for my exams. I stayed awake all night to study.

4. I was __________ when I got a car for my birthday.

5. I will have a nephew soon because my sister is ______________.

6. My dog hides under the bed during storms because he is _____________ of thunder and lightning.

7. My brother always _____________ that he is the best basketball player in our city.

8. The woman was _____________, so she decided to adopt a baby.

9. The bully was very ______________. He always pushed little kids and took their lunches.

10. I have a big test tomorrow, and I am so _______________ about it.

- - - -

Give an example when someone might feel:

shocked: example – when someone has a surprise birthday party for you.

overjoyed:

terrified:

exhausted:

hopeless:

furious:

worried:

- - - -

Answers:
Match the synomyms (upper): tearful- crying, sad; satisfied - happy with what you have; regal - royal, kingly; odd - strange, not normal; delighted - overjoyed, very happy; boastful - bragging; furious - very angry; cruel - mean, unkind; ridiculous - silly, funny, stupid; ambitious - wanting to achieve many goals; astonished - surprised, shocked, amazed; greedy - always wanting more, selfish; desperate - very upset, hopeless; innocent - having done nothing wrong; terrified - very frightened; enigmatic - mysterious, like a riddle or a puzzle; exhausted - extremely tired
Match the synonyms (all levels): terrified - scared, afraid; overjoyed - very happy; surprised - shocked; polite - respectful; unusual - strange; tearful - crying, sad; furious - angry; worried - nervous, stressed; tired - exhausted; kind - nice; greedy - selfish
Complete the sentences: 1. furiuos, 2. shocked, 3. sleepless, 4. overjoyed, 5. pregnant, 6. terrified, 7. brags, 8. childless, 9. mean, 10. worried

- - - -

The Play: Rumplestiltskin

Father: I am just a poor farmer, and I work very hard. But I have the most beautiful daughter in the world. She is special. Do you know what she can do?
King: What?
Father: She can turn straw (grass) into gold!
King: Really? I love gold. Bring her to me tomorrow!
Father: yes sir!
 

(the next day)
Daughter: Dad, I don't want to go!
Father: You have to. I told the king that you can turn straw into gold.
Daughter: But it's not true! I can't!
 

(at the castle)
King: Welcome. Girl, come with me. This is a room full of straw. You have to turn all the straw to gold. I will come back in the morning. (the king leaves)
Daughter: Oh no! What will I do? (she starts crying)
Rumple: (a little man comes in the door) Hello, little girl. Why are you crying?
Daughter: I have to turn this straw to gold. I can't do it!
Rumple: Hmmm, maybe I can help you. But what will you give me?
Daughter: You can have my necklace!
Rumple: Ok, I will take it. (Rumple starts to work)
 

(in the morning)
King: (he opens the door) Wow! Look at all this gold! This is wonderful! I am so happy! Girl, come with me. This is a bigger room. You must turn all this straw to gold by morning. Goodbye! (the king leaves)
Daughter: Oh no! What will I do? Will the little man come back? I need help.
Rumple: (he opens the door) Hello again. What do you want this time?
Daughter: I have to turn the straw to gold again! Please help me!
Rumple: And what will you give me?
Daughter: You can have my ring.
Rumple: Ok, I'll take it. (he starts to work)
 

(in the morning)
King: (he opens the door) Good morning! Wow! Look at this gold! I am rich! Hooray! Ok, girl, come with me. This is a huge room full of straw. If you turn all of it to gold, tomorrow I will marry you. (king leaves)
Daughter: Where is the little man? I need him again!
Rumple: (he comes in) What do you need now? More gold?
Daughter: Yes, please help me!
Rumple: What will you give me this time?
Daughter (sadly): I'm so sorry. I have nothing left to give you.
Rumple: I have an idea. You must promise to give me your first-born child.
Daughter: Ok, you can have anything you want. I promise!
Rumple: Excellent. (he starts to work)
 

(in the morning)
King: Wonderful! I am the richest man in the world! You will be my wife.
Daughter: I will be queen!
Father: I am so happy! My daughter is marrying the king!
 

(after one year)
Daughter: Look at my little son! He is so cute and perfect. He is my little prince.
Rumple: Hello, do you remember me?
Daughter: Oh! It's you! What are you doing here? Go away!
Rumple: Do you remember what you promised me? You must give me your child.
Daugher: No, please, I can't! He is my little boy - I can't give him to you! Please!
Rumple: Well, I have a plan. I will give you three days to guess my name. If you guess it, you can keep your baby. If you can't, you must give your baby to me.
Daughter: Ok, I will try.
Rumple: See you tomorrow.
 

Daughter: You must go into the village and write down the names of all the people!
Servant: Yes ma'am.
 

(the next day)
Rumple: Did you guess my  name?
Daughter: Is your name Tom?
Rumple: No.
Daughter: Richard?
Rumple: No ...
Daughter: Is your name Mike?
Rumple. No. I will come back tomorrow. you have two days left. (Rumple smiles and leaves)
 

Daughter: You must go into the mountains and to all the villages and write down all the names! I need more names!
Servant: Yes ma'am.
 

(the next day)
Rumple: Here I am! Did you guess my name?
Daughter: Is your name Sebastian?
Rumple: No
Daughter: Ebenezer?
Rumple: No
Daughter: Is your name Alexander?
Rumple: No, no, no. I will come back tomorrow. you have one day left! (Rumple smiles and leaves)
 

Daughter: You must find more names! I need all the names you can find! Go quickly!
Servant: Yes ma'am
 

(that night)
Servant: Queen! I have news.
Daughter: Yes? What is it?
Servant: I went into the villages and into the mountains and into the forest. And I got lost. Then suddenly I saw a little house, and a little man was dancing around a fire. He was singing. He said, "This guessing game she'll never win. My name is Rumplestiltskin!"
Daughter: Rumplestiltskin! Yes! This is the name I need! Thank you so much!
Servant: You're welcome, my queen. Good night.
 

(the next day)
Rumple: I'm back again! Do you know my name?
Daughter: Is your name Harry?
Rumple: No...
Daughter: Is your name Abdul Aziz?
Rumple: No ...
Daughter: Is your name, perhaps, .... Rumplestiltskin?
Rumple (shocked): What! How do you know this! A witch told you! A witch told you! Nooooooo!
 

(Rumple is very angry. He disappears into the ground. The queen and her baby live happily ever after!)
The End.

Back to Fun Lesson Plans